I can’t believe I forgot to blog these! OH MY GOSH!!!  The shoes alone made my heart go *pitter patter* but then everything else was so vintage, so co-ordinated and just so cool…much like Anna & Jeremy themselves!   I always love finding out how couples met, how they “knew” they he / she was the “one”…and I’m always always blown away by the fact that many of our couples had dated other people before but it is this particular person that makes them fall so in love that they want to spend the rest of their lives with them.   I remember when I was younger (okay much younger!) dating a guy that I thought was the “one”….and then he took a trip overseas, met another girl, fell in love with her, and asked her to marry him……coming home to break up with me.  I was devastated! …and I spent days analysing what made her “It” and not me…..can anyone relate????

To this day I still don’t know the answer to that question, but when I met Erick and knew that he was my “one”, I realised that maybe there is no answer to it, but that God really does know best…..and thank goodness for that!  I think I would have been totally miserable with 100% of the dudes I knew before I met my “E”.     Anna & Jeremy are like that…perfect together…and right now they are in Canada!  

I loved that at their house they had a big map on the wall full of pins of places that had been or were going, that their sense of adventure and challenge of life is what has them up late at night making plans, dreaming together and relying on one another.  That is the perfect ingredients for a great relationship!

….told you the shoes rocked!!!

the gorgeous bride and groom….I loved this one of Anna; she is so smart and insightful, I loved that this captured that.

FAB - U - LOUS-ITY!!!   (done in my best Gok voice…and I don’t even care that it probably isn’t a real word!!!!)

  Erick’s totally cool shot…which I just LOVE!!!  I have it from a different perspective, which is why we love two photographer’s at a wedding…..sometimes the “unexpected” images are the one’s that really capture the essence of a couple….the images where the couple don’t know they are being photographed….and generally they are the one’s we prefer too!

The Reception at the Old Stone House, Cashmere Hills….we snuck them away for 10  minutes and had them back before anyone knew they were gone…but it was sooo worth it!   As soon as Erick came in and told me the moon was nearly full and that there was all kinds of cool lights outside, we grabbed our cameras and were delighted that A & J were totally into it. 

Have the best time in Canada you two!!!….how awesome to actually live in a country…like a really really long honeymoon! LOL

Okay L!  I warned you!  ….just one…and sorry but I think your little girl may be growing up…and into one very stunning young lady!   Rest of your gallery will be up early next week! ….and tomorrow I have sneak peeks of Melissa & Geoff’s gorgeous country wedding and Vanessa & Tim’s city/ocean one! …

In other news…I so love this song by Hannah Montana (aka Miley Cyrus) and find the lyrics to be so true! …..although it’s kind of sad  that I am getting life lessons from someone 20+ years my junior!  (I’m finding comfort in the thought that it had to be someone older who penned it!) …but even marriage is like that, it isn’t about reaching the mountain top….it is all about HOW we climb!  I didn’t know that 15 years ago, but I do now….yes I’m a slow learner!! LOL

Speaking of songs……….go Adam!!!  I love that every week he does something fresh, different, creative and unique!….and the guy can sing!

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Stay tuned next week for the offer of four free sessions: boudoir, a crawling baby, Engaged couple and one other session!   Yes you read it right….totally free and a 8×12 wall print supplied as well…… this will be the only opportunity in 2009 to have free sessions done with us….the rest of the year we will be busy working with our current bookings, away at a training seminar or working with other clients…..which reminds me!  If you want to book a session, do it NOW…don’t leave it until next month, because you may not get the date or time you want as we fill up dates fast for maternity/newborn, wedding boudoir etc over the winter months.  Many clients book now for their christmas card photos too…and this year we will be having them printed on Linen paper, with our printing being done in the States.  NOTHING is as amazing as receiving a personal christmas card with a photo of the family on it!  Every year we get one from our dear friends in the States, and it has been amazing to watch their family grow from one child to now three….and how big those three are getting!  We LOVE getting their card more than any of the others we receive….just because of the photo on the front!

Erick and I simply adore this couple!  If you look back through older posts, you will see their fun Engagement shoot, with their cool dog, and their favourite hang-out; the beach.   It was no surprise that they decided to just “do it” on the Day and race out to the beach to have some fab shots taken and their guests were so amazing and so patient to let them do that, even though I confess Erick and I were worried about the fact that they were running late!   Frequently we deal with cell phones ringing, constant reminders “to hurry up”….(and just a word to our upcoming wedding couples; please don’t give 5 hours to a hairdresser and 30 minutes to your photographer!   Your hair will be gone the next morning but your photos will last beyond your lifetime, so invest your time wisely)….but we had none of that, just a perfect sunny day, and a couple who are so very in love.  Perfection.

Julia & Warwick totally “got it” and made the most of the time we had, they are also both total naturals in front of the camera, and with each other.  However I should really start at the beginning!!!  …the beautiful bride and stunning details…including that INCREDIBLE DRESS!!!   It was so difficult to choose which photos to post, as there are literally hundreds I love! …but here is a few…..

and then of course there is the handsome Groom….. and don’t you love that while Bride’s are spending hours having hair/make-up etc done…the boy’s are having fun! LOL

…the ceremony was so beautiful in the garden and so many tears …and of course joy and laughter.  Everything every bride imagines!  After photos, dinner and speeches, and then on to the dance with an AWESOME band….. so many details from this day touched Erick & I…..especially when Julia took time to go and see her Grandmother off.  I loved capturing the fast pace of the day, the initimate details between Julia & Warwick and their repective families…..thank you so much guys for letting us be part of your amazing Day!

Enjoy your sneak peeks and look for your Gallery tonite!

A favourite wedding for sure!  …right from the start it had tears, sooooo much joy!  (I’ve never seen a bride so delighted to put on her dress….Maddie couldn’t stop jumping for the sheer joy of finally being a beautiful bride…and beautiful she was!)  I loved that the emotion and joy was there for everyone to see, that it was real and touching and natural…EXUBERANT!  It was wonderful. 

You may remember their images from their Engagement Session, where they latin danced on the hilltop for me….so I couldn’t photograph the dress without bringing in Maddie’s beautiful gift of dance, in the form of her ballet shoes.

The highlight of the Ceremony was when James sang to her…completely unexpected by Maddie ..and us! …we were blown away by how good he was, how perfect the song was and of course his Bride loved it! …there was so much cheering and clapping when it was finished, and he scooped her up and kissed her for the first time as Man and Wife….I just loved it, although I have to say that trying to photograph while you have tears running down your cheeks is not the easiest thing in the world!

The weather was hot, sunny and perfect for their “picnic basket” theme, and then when the cold wind came up, everyone was moved inside to a roaring fire, food, coffe and of course cake.

Unlike many couples who stay to the last song, these guys left early, which made for the chance to capture some unique images, and a final opportunity to celebrate with them with fireworks! 

Thanks M & J for the chance to hang out with all of you and be part of joining your lives together……

I’m also finishing up some “BOOTH” images and so just ran this slideshow together from Tracie & Paul’s wonderful wedding….can you tell they all love cricket???  LOL

Well not only are Tracie and Paul a gorgeous couple (inside and out!) but when they are together they are totally Hot!  ….and so it was quite appropriate that their wedding day should be as well.   It was BRIGHT and very hot….did I say it was bright?  One of the sunniest days we have had all summer, and they had an outdoor wedding at Mona Vale, right on the water’s edge and beneath a big tree…..cold air or rain would have completely ruined their dream day, so it was fantastic to wake up to clear skies and warm air!

Everything was perfect!  Their friends were gathered around them, their AMAZING family…..the beautiful dresses, flowers…and when the dress and veil went on, not only was there tears and laughter…but Wow! …and yes I confess Tracie was one of those brides that I had to wipe tears away from behind my lens….she was just so stunning, so in love and about to marry such a fantastic guy!

The Ceremony was so beautiful! Family members spoke and sang (and boy the song was sooooo goood!!!  What a fantastic voice!)

I’ll let the rest of the pictures tell the story…which is just as it should be! and why people hire a Photographer! ……but I also have to mention that I love the photos of their parents in front of the cake, it was such a beautiful touch and made the cake cutting extra special.

The moon also graced us with his presence when we managed to sneak them away for a quick Evening Shoot (our favourite time of the day!)…we highly recommend building this time into your Day; it’s a chance for you to be alone for the first time all day (okay Erick and I are there but we promise we are very unobtrusive!) but also a great chance to just relax and be in love; the nerves of the day, speeches, etc are all gone and it is just the two of you; Man & Wife….I love the connection and love that I can feel between this amazing couple.

Congrats you two! and thank you for being so very very patient!    We left when the party was just starting to rock…will post Crazy Booth in the next couple of days, cos it was a BLAST! and so so funny!

Okay I feel I need to start this letter to you all with a disclaimer : this is an image overload…and for that I do not apologise.  Not only has Renee been VERY patient, while I sorted through her wedding images and then struggled to decide which one’s I would not proof….because the truth was there is literally hundreds I adored…….

…but she has also not emailed me ONCE to ask “where the heck are my sneak peeks!!!”  and for that she deserves a reward!  I totally would have emailed me 50 times by now if I was her!  (Okay …not sure that last sentence even makes sense, but it’s nearly 11pm and I’m just plain tired….so if that is the only weird sentence or spelling you find in this journal entry….you should consider it a miracle!)

The STUNNING bride!

Renee was just such a beautiful (and incredibly organised!) bride…but I’ll let the pictures do the talking because for me that is what Wedding Photography is all about; capturing the story so that words aren’t needed, so that when the couple look back on the images even in 50 years time, they will still laugh and remember the moments that made their day special; it is my job to capture those moments so that they can!  The tears, laughter, joy and the things that pass the couple by, as they float through a Day that is full of nerves, adrenaline, excitement and energy.  Most couples (including us!) don’t remember the little details of their day and miss the little “bits” that make it special.  It is those little things that I love to look for and document. 

Renee and Mark chose to have a “First Look” meeting, which Erick and I explained to them beforehand, and which we personally recommend and LOVE.

We positioned Renee and explained to Mark what to do, and it was beautiful and so emotional!  He couldn’t stop looking at her or touching her and her dress…..moments that you just don’t get in the pace of a wedding ceremony.  Private, intimate time to connect before you do it publicly.

 …..and for anyone who thinks that will “ruin” the moment they come down the aisle….think again….just look at the gaze on Mark’s face, if anything he is even more enraptured by his beautiful bride than he was earlier in the Day!!!  Is that even possible? 

The other reason we love First Look weddings is because we have more time to do the Photos (sometimes we get less time than the hairdresser!  yes that is true!), the couple have more private time together on their Day, and everything at the Ceremony is so much more relaxed, with nerves having been dispensed with earlier in the Day.  

If you are considering this for your wedding, feel free to talk to us about how we like to organise it.

Every detail had been thought through….from shoes, cake, flowers, to the fabulous dress, stunning bridesmaids AND their dresses, and can’t you see where Renee gets her gorgeous looks from?

Not to mention their fabulous Wedding AND Reception location : Langdale Winery….which we can highly recommend for setup, atmosphere, staff and food….everything was warm, friendly and very very well done, including the Dance which was done by Noel’s Disco Party; that guy really knows his music! 

The rest of the images were taken at both the Day and Evening Shoots….ENJOY!

If you are considering booking us for your Wedding, please contact us to discuss it as soon as you can; we only have very very limited bookings available for the 2010 Wedding Season; our website does not reflect our actual calendar unfortunately, as we’ve just been too busy to update it, and we are working on some new things in the coming months anyhow! including the change BACK to Amanda Haynes Photography(sorry for the confusion but we decided to go back to our “roots” as ImagesHaynes just didn’t end up sitting well with either of us…and the addition of our beautiful new logo, which you can already see as the watermark on images.  It’s like that cheese ad…good things take time. LOL

Such a cool and very sweet couple!  We felt so bad for them on their Special Day because they had planned and dreamed of the perfect outdoor wedding, married in a glade at the base of a mountain, then Reception in a Marquee on a friend’s lawn; all planned around perfect weather; which of course as we all know, we should be getting at this time of year! ……BUT not this day, this day it just poured.  Teemed down, then would try and trick us all by easing off and looking like it was going to lift, only to open the heavens and dump another lot of rain.

A few hours before the wedding was due to start, we all realised it just wasn’t going to be possible, and the decision was made to get married in the Marquee as well as have the Reception there, making the best of the situation…….and that is exactly what they did, and their wedding was PERFECT.   We were very fortunate to be able to get access to The  Makeover Design Studio; which is such a neat little building to go and see if you are considering building, renovating, etc and want MAJOR inspiration for your home! …..and we were delighted that this couple were up for anything, including some bathtub fun!

I literally could have posted hundreds of images on here that I love…the fab dress, the amazing cake, the elegant flowers, the fantastic bridal party…..yes now I’m just ranting! ……but can’t wait for them to see their gallery!

Weddings should be about friends, family and having a great time; and this wedding was all that….and so much more!  Not only are they are stunningly good looking couple, but being around them is like being in a room full of warm sunshine and sweet smelling flowers, so honestly, I don’t think anyone even noticed it was raining……until they stepped outside!

See you next week guys!   (Renee & Mark….hold your breath until Sunday!)

These guys really knew how to party!  Their wedding was meant to be cold and wet, but the day warmed up and the clouds rolled back…..and it turned warm and sunny about half an hour before Brooke left home to travel to the arms of her new husband!  Perfect weather! especially since their ceremony was outdoors at Spencer Park.

The Dress was so beautifully made by Linda, Brooke’s MIL….she is an amazing seamstress (if anyone would like her contact details for bridal dress making/adjustments, please don’t hesitate to contact me).  The finishing on the dress was immaculate and the bridesmaids dresses were gorgeous too!

..and how funky cool are these shoes….hot!

So many moments during the ceremony that there was laughter….and tears…..

and then the fabulous WaterFall location that was breathtaking, especially on such a cloudless sunny day!

As the sun went down the party really began, with so many funny speeches, and great food, and then the dance.

All day long they were surrounded by friends and family that genuinely loved and cared about them, such a great start to a Marriage!   Enjoy your sneak peeks Brooke & Nathan…..the real deal isn’t far off now!

Amazing couple, amazing day and photos that I adore.    What could be better?  I know I already shared “The Booth” from their wedding, but I kept all the really good stuff until now!     Starting with the hairdresser (for ‘hers’) and Manscape shave (for the ‘hims’) it was laughter from the beginning because they were only four doors apart during this time and didn’t want to see each other.

Olivia (who I spent the morning with) was so relaxed and so organised, knowing exactly who was meant to be where and when, and that made our job so much easier.  Erick was with the guys, as he usually is, and said they were just as relaxed and fun as the girls were.

The ceremony time came around quicker than any of us thought and from the moment Olivia walked out to the Garden Pagoda at the Chateau on the Park, Matt’s face just beamed with love for her.   Her Rosary held special significance as she had lost her Grandmother two days before the Wedding, but it was a beautiful tribute to her, that Olivia carried this wrapped around her hand as she made her way down the aisle to join her life with Matt’s.

As soon as all the “formal” bits were done, the party began…and with such an awesome bunch of friends and family, it really couldn’t be anything less than that.  There wedding party were fantastic and up for anything.  We shot all the images in the local area, because M & O had chosen not to have cars (which really was a fantastic idea!), and so we just wandered, shot and then wandered back to the hotel for the Reception and Dance. 

I see great things in your future!  …and looks like you do too!   Thank you for such a fabulous day!

CRAZY.  That is a double meaning I tell ya!  I know there is an actual name for that; when a statement can have two possible meanings, but to be perfectly honest, I’m too tired to google it~!  Even though I LUVVVRREEEE Google.  Who doesn’t?   I can find my kids homework answers without having to actually slog the books (and that begs the question why every night I feel like I’m back in school, doing homework again!  Isn’t it THEIR homework???!!!), I can track down little known people, places and facts, and if I want to get really fancy, I can go to Google Earth and take a drive by our house, and satisfy myself that even though we are living in the midst of a renovation; we have actually done SOMETHING on the place in the last 6 months, because the Google “drive by” doesn’t show our fancy schmanzy new fence and letterbox!  So yes I love Google, but tonite I’m too tired to go google double-meaning words.

Matt & Olivia had the coolest wedding at the Chateau on the Park.  Their friends and family made it such a great party and the food was really amazing too!  I can highly recommend this as a venue, they didn’t even need cars, because we shot images around the buildings and wandered over to Hagley Golf Course to do the others, and that evening the sky turned pink, then deep blue and then the crescent moon came out!  Just amazing…I’m in the midst of proofing them, so will load some up early next week for everyone!…in the meantime, enjoy some of their crazy “The Booth” images…and if you want to book  “The Booth” for you next event; wedding, senior formal, engagement party, etc; just email us via the contact page above, it really is a whole lot of fun!

This week we finished a beautiful HUGE family session, an Engagement, a Bridal Boudoir; which is stunning and one of my most favourite private sessions ever; so lots of blog posting to be done in the coming two weeks!   

I actually felt like coming to my Blog today and saying “Why hellloooooooo loveerrrr” …..you know like Carrie does when she spies that perfect pair of shoes? (if you are a Carrie fan you will know EXACTLY who and what I’m talking about; if you aren’t, just forget this last sentence!)….but anyhow you get the point, I haven’t posted in a while; I’ve been flooded with work and things to finalise for Phoenix Conference for Beyond, but I sure have missed putting work and stories on  here!  So I promise not to be such a slacker from now on…..thank you loyal blog followers!   What’s that you say?  Hmmmm……

Okay twist my arm……I hear you all asking for ONE…..so that is all I’m leaving you with!

“The Booth” and “Bridal Boudoir” (although you don’t have to be a bride to book!) are just two of the new services we are bringing online this year; stay tuned for more creative, innovative and fresh ideas as we roll out our special options for Wedding Clients.